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Friday, 2 June 2017

THE MOSQUE FOUNDED ON PIETY: Masjid Quba, (Umrah Memories 1/3)

(Umrah Memories
1/3)

Masjid Quba

“The Mosque Whose Foundation

Was Laid On Piety”

– (al-Quran 9:108)

(M. Javed Naseem)

Masjid Quba (Quba Mosque), is the very first mosque that was
established by the Muslims of Arabia who migrated from Makkah to Madinah. On
Monday, September 23, 622, prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) arrived at a town in
Madinah named Quba. He stayed with Khulthum bin Al-hadm, a hospitable
chief of the tribe of Amr bin Awf. Here he spent four days, and it was
during this period that the foundation of the Quba mosque was laid, based on
pure piety.

Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) positioned its foundation stones
and it was completed by his companions, making Masjid al-Quba the first mosque
in the history of Islam whose foundation stone was laid by the prophet Muhammed
(s.a.w.) himself and is also the first mosque in which he prayed with his
companions openly in congregation.

Allah refers to this mosque in the Quran (Surah al-Tauba):

“… There is a mosque
whose foundation was laid

from the first day on
piety. It is more worthy of

standing forth (for
prayer) therein. In it are men

who love to be
purified; and Allah loves those

who make themselves
pure.”

(al-Quran 9:108)

Masjid Quba has the distinction of not only being the First
Mosque of Islam, but also the first mosque founded by the Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w.). This masterpiece of Islamic architecture is situated about 5-6km from
the Masjid-e-Nabawi at Madinah. This is one of the most important landmarks of
Madinah. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) himself participated in the construction of
this mosque, along with other Mohajireen and Ansaar.

The Prophet (s.a.w) personally carried stones, rocks and
sand with his companions for the construction work. Al-Tabarani quoted
Al-Shimous Bint Al-Nuaman as saying, “I saw the Prophet when he constructed
this mosque. He used to carry stones and rocks on his back until it was bent. I
also saw dust on his dress and belly. But when one of his companions would come
to take the load off him, he would say no and ask the companion to go and carry
a similar load instead.”

In 1986, the Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed al-Wakil was
commissioned to reconstruct the new and expanded Quba Mosque, and he maintained
the Medinah style of architecture – ribbed white domes, and basalt facing and
modest exterior. He intended to incorporate the old structure into his expanded
design but he could not. So, the old mosque was torn down and replaced with a bigger
new one.

The new mosque consists of a rectangular prayer hall raised
on a second story platform. The prayer hall connects to a cluster containing
residential areas, offices, ablution facilities, shops and a library. Six
additional entrances were dispersed on the northern, eastern and western
façades. Four minarets mark the corners of the prayer hall. The minarets rest
on square bases, have octagonal shafts which take on a circular shape as they
reach the top.

The women's prayer area, which is surrounded by a screen, is
divided into two parts as a passageway connects the northern entrance with the
courtyard.

Sheikh Dr. Salih ibn Awwad al-Maghamsi is the current Imam
of Masjid Quba.

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) led the first group-prayer from
Quba Mosque when Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) was the Qibla at the
time. That Friday he left Quba with Abu Bakr (r.a.a.). He sent a message to
Banu Najjar, the house of his maternal grandfather. His kinsmen came to Quba
and joined the Prophet (s.a.w.) on his way to Madinah.

As per a Hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Dinar: Ibn Umar
(r.a.a.) said, “The Prophet used to go to the Mosque of Quba every Saturday
(sometimes) walking and (sometimes) riding.”
According to another Hadith, the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “He who purifies himself
at his home and comes to Masjid Quba and offers two Rakats therein, will be
granted the reward of an Umrah.” – (Sunan ibn Majah).

Masjid Jummah

Masjid Jumma is also known by Masjid Bani Salim, Masjid al-Wadi, Masjid
Ghubaib and Masjid Aatikah. It is situated on the boundary of Madinah and marks
the site where the Prophet (s.a.w.) led the first Jummah prayer, shortly after
migration (Hijrah) from Makkah. It’s about 2.5km from Masjid-e-Nabawi.

According
to a narration, the Prophet (s.a.w.) left Quba on a Friday to enter Madinah. On
the way, about a kilometer from Quba, he passed by the village of Banu Salim
bin Auf. The people of Banu Salim implored:

“O Prophet of Allah! You stayed at the homes of our cousins
for a number of days, so please reward us too with something, for they will
pride themselves over us till the Day of Judgment that you stayed with them”.

The Prophet (s.a.w.) dismounted his camel and offered his
first Jummah prayer in their locality. Approximately one hundred Muslims
participated in this first Jummah prayer. Amongst them were the Prophet’s
relatives from Bani an-Najjar who had come to meet him and some from Bani Amr
who had escorted him from Quba.

After
performing the Friday prayer, the Prophet (s.a.w.) mounted Qaswa (his camel)
and set off for the city of Madinah.

Masjid Abu Bakr:

Not far from the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi), in the
middle of a populated area, there is a very small mosque. It is called the Abu
Bakr Mosque. This mosque is 15 meters to the southwest of Salman Al-Farisi
Mosque. It was reported that Abu Bakr, when he was caliph, prayed Eid prayer
there. This is why it was named after him.

It was also reported that the
Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed the Eid prayer there. And to commemorate
that, they built another small mosque, about 50 meters away.

There is a cluster of small mosques right adjacent to the
Masjid Nabawi and each one is named after some companion of the Prophet
(s.a.w.). I doubt if these mosques existed during the period of the Prophet
(s.a.w.) because it does not make sense to have six or seven small mosques in
front of the Masjid Nabawi. In the presence of Masjid Nabawi, who would go for
prayer to some other mosque nearby? All these tiny mosques were constructed and
added later by the tribes as a token of pride for them.

Masjid Fajr Talaa

Masjid Fajr Talaa or Masjid Misbah, where Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w.) offered his first prayer of Fajr in Madinah, after migrating from
Makkah. This is the only place that is still intact in its original form and
shape (ruines) from the Prophet’s time. All other landmarks are reconstructed
and refurbished.

This small piece of land consists of four not-so-high
walls marking the praying area. Obviously, the place was used for prayers by
travelers and passers by, and so did the Prophet (s.a.w.). It looks like
ancient ruins. Now, people have put some praying mats there, in case somebody
wants to offer two Rakats of prayer.

Nuzaha Garden:

Nuzaha Garden of date-palm trees or Garden of Salman Farsi
(r.a.a.) is a very famous (historic) place in Madinah. This is the garden of date-palm
trees where the Prophet (s.a.w.) and many other companions planted date-palm
trees.

Salman
the Persian (Salman Farsi) was a slave kept by a Jewish master. He had
converted to Islam and for that reason his master was always hard on him. He came
to the Prophet (s.a.w.) one day to seek his counsel and help. His master, a Jew
of the Bani Quraizah, in the south of Madinah, kept him so busy that he had
never been able to have close contact with the Muslim community. It had been
out of the question for him to be at Badr or Uhud or take part in any of the
missions/campaigns which the Prophet (s.a.w.) had led or sent out.

To
discourage him further, the Jewish master set the price of freedom too high. Salman
would have to pay forty ounces of gold and plant 300 date-palms trees. The
Prophet encouraged him to negotiate with his master and called on his
Companions to help Salman with the palms, which they did, one contributing
thirty palm-shoots, another twenty, and so on, until the required number or 300
had been reached.

“Go dig the holes for them, Salman,” said the Prophet
(s.a.w.), “and tell me when you are done, and mine is the hand that shall put
them in.”

The
Companions helped Salman to prepare the ground, and the Prophet (s.a.w.) planted
each of the 300 shoots, which all took root and thrived. Everybody contributed
and eventually, Salman Farsi won his freedom and became a devoted slave of
Allah. In the battle of Khandaq (trenches), it was Salman Farsi’s idea to dig
trenches (Khandaq) around the city to keep at bay the enemy forces. And Muslims
won the battle without even fighting.
This garden produces the best quality authentic dates in Madinah in more than 30 varieties, Ajwa being the best among them. Other categories include Berni, Mabroom, Ambera, Rashidi, Khudri, Sughai, Khalas, Sufri, Safawi, etc., etc. They have a sales outlet at the entrance and the prices are very reasonable (cheaper than the retail markets of Madinah).

Masjid Qiblatain

(The Mosque of Two Qiblas)

Masjid Qiblatain (the Mosque of Two Qiblas) is one of the three earliest
mosques in Islam's history, along with Masjid Quba and Masjid Nabawi. It is
situated in Madinah. It was here when Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) received the
command of Allah to change the direction of prayer (Qibla) from Jerusalem to
Makkah. It was during the Duhur (Zuhar) prayer (some scholars claim it was Asr
prayer) and the worshipper had just completed two Rakats when the command of
Allah came and the entire congregation turned their faces towards Makkah (in
the opposition direction). They completed the remaining two Rakats of the same
prayer facing Kaabah at Makkah.

The mosque was then altered to create a new niche (Mehrab) in the opposite
direction. For many years, the mosque used to have two niches (Mehrabs), one in
the direction of Jerusalem and the other towards Kaabab at Makkah. However, a
few years ago, the Saudi authorities removed the first Mehrab facing Jerusalem.
They covered it with a straight wall but they left a plaque there to
commemorate. Today, the mosque has only one Mehrab facing one Qibla towards
Kaabab at Makkah.

During his time in Makkah, Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) used to
pray towards Bait-al-Maqdes, with the Kaabah in front of him. When he migrated
to Madinah, he prayed towards Jerusalem for 16 months, but he hoped it would be
changed to the Kaabah one day.

In Madinah, the Jews offered their prayers facing Bait
al-Maqdes (Jerusalem). The Prophet (s.a.w.) and his companions also
offered prayers facing the same direction. This had been their practice
from Makkah and had continued until the second year after Hijrah. The Jews
laughed and taunted Muslims by saying that they claimed to have a religion
whose laws superseded all previous laws but they don’t have their own Qiblah to
face. The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to come out at night and look up to the skies
expecting a revelation from Allah. Two months before the battle of Badr,
it finally came. The following verses were then revealed:

“We see the turning of your face (for guidance) to

the heavens. Now
shall We turn you to a Qiblah

that shall please
you. Turn then your face in the

direction of the
Sacred Mosque! Wherever you are,

turn your faces in that
direction! The people of the

Book know well that
this is the truth from their

Lord. Nor is Allah
unmindful of what they do.”

(al-Quran 2:144)

It was a day of joy for the Muslims as they could now face the taunting Jews
with their own Qiblah. They had now become completely independent and a
prophecy in the old Jewish books had been fulfilled that the last of the great
prophets would change the orientation of the religion of Allah from Jerusalem
to the Ancient House of Abraham (Kaabah). The Jews were not happy as it came to
them as a painful shock.

“The fools among the
people will say: "What has

turned them from the
Qiblah to which they were used?"

Say: To Allah belong
both East and West. He guides

whom He will to a way
that is straight.”

(al-Quran 2:142)

A Jewish delegation went to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and asked
for the revision of their decision to change the Qiblah back to Jerusalem but
with no luck. They were shaken as Jewish monopoly on Qiblah was shattered.

“Even if you were to
bring to the people of the Book

all the Signs
(together), they would not follow your

Qiblah; nor are you
going to follow their Qiblah; nor

indeed will they
follow each other's Qiblah. If you,

after the knowledge
has reached you, were to follow

their (vain) desires,
then were you indeed (clearly)

in the wrong.”

(al-Quran 2:145)

The Muslim nation now had an independent status. Allah had
declared them as a ‘balanced nation’ and had appointed them as witnesses over
other nations.

“Thus, have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced,

that you might be
witnesses over the nations, and the

Messenger a witness
over yourselves; and We appointed

the Qiblah to which
you were used, only to test those

who followed the
Messenger from those who would turn

on their heels (from
the Faith). Indeed it was (a change)

momentous, except to
those guided by Allah. And never

would Allah make your
faith of no effect. For Allah is to

all people Most
surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.”

(al-Quran 2:143)

The change in the direction of the Qiblah also served as a
test of faith for the people. Any refusal or delay in accepting the new
Qiblah would cast doubt on their sincerity of faith and obedience to the
commands of Allah and His Prophet.

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QURAN RECITATION

Al-Quran

The Guiding Light

WELCOME HOME

Assalaam-o-alaikum!

We are glad to see you here. We can accompany you home. By joining us, you'll, Insha-Allah, prepare yourself mentally and spiritually for your onward journey on the road less traveled. We are heading for Home - the promised Home. Allah says:

M. Javed Naseem

M. Javed Naseem (Jay Max) is a well-known journalist and broadcaster from Lahore (Pakistan). He is the author of six books. He has worked as a reporter and then sub-editor for daily Nawa-i-Waqt, Lahore; as sub-editor with the Pakistan Times, Lahore; and as editor of the weekly Community News, New York, NY, among others.He was an international broadcaster for radio Deutsche Welle (The Voice of Germany), Cologne, Germany; news editor and newscaster for Third World Broadcasting TV in New York; was producer & director of ‘Mabuhay’, an English language TV show for the Filipino community in New York. He had been an announcer at Radio Pakistan, Lahore; and Punjabi newscaster for Pakistan Television, Lahore. Before entering the field of professional journalism, he was a Lecturer/Instructor at the Govt. Commercial Training Institute, Lahore. He knows English, French, German, Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Persian and some Arabic. He writes for Islamic websites. He is a Pakistani-American and now lives in retirement in Morocco, North Africa.Publications: The Way (Sunnah) of The Prophet (s.a.w.); God's Prescription - Al-Quran; A Wake-up Call; You Are Special; Stories of Prophets.